'80s and '90s 500cc GP bike pics

I think I've posted before about this, I was there too. I don't remember much (probably mercifully) except the sound, which was as close as I'd ever imagined to a bomb going off, an horrendous noise. The race even carried on for a few laps, amid the carnage.
Brown had his arm in the air, clearly going slower than the pack, but couldn't get off line as he was in the middle of a pack. Huber hit him from behind with a significant speed difference.
A bit like the Roche/?Japanese rider in WSB at Monza in the arly 90s, was it on the slow down lap?

IIRC Van Dulmen wasn't too happy with the bike he was given and elected to ride his own bike in the race, could be wrong on that though, the mists of time and all that...

Re the Brown/Huber crash, I agree that it should never have happened and I think that both riders lost their helmets as there was some controversy afterwards about helmet straps not being checked at scrutineering or somesuch, but it was a moot point at the time I think. I saw the video of Herve Guilleux after he came off at Copse and the strange helmet he had, opened by a hinge system at the back and strapless.

Perhaps Philippe can throw some light on this?

Herve Guilleux 1983, you can see the join just in front of the open/close black square on the side of helmet.Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge.

I am not moaning Graham, but I get easily confused these days and with all these new threads that are over lapping I am not sure where to post or in fact where I have posted and I don't want to make a double posting. For me it was much easier when then there was just topics in years. I have to say though that the BSB does not fit well into the general theme of this forum for me really.

I think I've posted before about this, I was there too. I don't remember much (probably mercifully) except the sound, which was as close as I'd ever imagined to a bomb going off, an horrendous noise. The race even carried on for a few laps, amid the carnage.Brown had his arm in the air, clearly going slower than the pack, but couldn't get off line as he was in the middle of a pack. Huber hit him from behind with a significant speed difference.A bit like the Roche/?Japanese rider in WSB at Monza in the arly 90s, was it on the slow down lap?

An awful day.

I don't recall the Roche one but Reinhold Roth hit a touring rider when he went to make a pass on the inside and was thus unsighted, '88 I think and received very serious head injuries. One of the darker aspects of the sport, sadly.

I am not moaning Graham, but I get easily confused these days and with all these new threads that are over lapping I am not sure where to post or in fact where I have posted and I don't want to make a double posting. For me it was much easier when then there was just topics in years. I have to say though that the BSB does not fit well into the general theme of this forum for me really.

No offence. Sorry, Jim.

Hi Jim thank you & no worries I see what your saying, when it was just the two original threads it was easier to keep tabs on, but it was very difficult trying to find something that had been posted a year or more before,(so many pages!) so the individual threads are better for finding out about a subject in greater detail, but if you think something is relevant in a thread post away I say, some of the things we post (pictures & stories) we may have spoken of before, but my memory is not so good these days, so if I read or see something seen before its a good memory jogger. Hope that makes sense?

For years I lusted after a GPA helmet as worn by Sarron, Pons and others which had hinged padding front and back so it basically clipped together round the neck. I tried one on at a bike show but I believe they were never approved for road use over here as they couldn't pass the strap test

Going back to Norman Brown's accident I remember the tv coverage at the time and the director cut the shot after it could be seen there was wreckage everywhere and a helmet rolling down the track similar to Simmo's accident as said.

I recall talk at the time that Norman had said he was only going out to do a few laps to run the engine in prior to a major Irish (I think) meeting. Anyone?

For years I lusted after a GPA helmet as worn by Sarron, Pons and others which had hinged padding front and back so it basically clipped together round the neck. I tried one on at a bike show but I believe they were never approved for road use over here as they couldn't pass the strap test

Going back to Norman Brown's accident I remember the tv coverage at the time and the director cut the shot after it could be seen there was wreckage everywhere and a helmet rolling down the track similar to Simmo's accident as said.

I recall talk at the time that Norman had said he was only going out to do a few laps to run the engine in prior to a major Irish (I think) meeting. Anyone?

There was a documentary some years a go, showing the incident up to the impact point taken from the camera @ Club corner looking up the track to Stowe, & it showed Norman touring round the outside of Stowe (off the racing line) & then down the straight towards Club, where he is then on the racing line, many riders saw him clearly but Huber was in a string of 4 or more riders, & as they moved out to pass Norman, sadly Peter as said was un sighted, & you know the rest. It is said that a Defibralator may have saved their lives, none were apparently available that day?, but we will never know.

But why did he not just ride round to the pits @ race speed & pull in, why start touring down the Hangar straight?

Spot on Graham. Even though it had just started to rain (a light shower AIR) plenty of other riders were still circulating at full race speed on slicks. I think the previous comment about running the bike in for the UGP was more that Norman had said something like if it rained he would pull in as he didn't want to risk himself or the bike with the UGP coming up. Ironic in the extreme if true.

He was the one who refused to put straw bales on the exit of Stowe when asked by Kim Newcombe & made some sarcastic comment & eluded that he would not pay him (got the book but forget exactly will check & post up?) later that day Kim crashed exactly where he said bales were needed, & was left at the side of the track till race finished, by then it was to late to save him.

It was at Monza in 1988 , Roche was riding the Cagiva and just after the finish line he was hit by Tadahiko Taira and seriously injured to his lower leg . There are different versions as to wether Raymond slowed down before or after the finish line, and wether he had suffered a mechanical problem, but the collision certainly took place beyond the finish line since the two riders were classified ( 9th and 10th I think )

Never seen this before,(I was there) I have only seen the TV highlights, its the complete 500cc 1981 race from Silverstone, brilliant race & shows how great Silverstone was 30+ years a go.http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

I don't recall the Roche one but Reinhold Roth hit a touring rider when he went to make a pass on the inside and was thus unsighted, '88 I think and received very serious head injuries. One of the darker aspects of the sport, sadly.

ths was at rijeka in 1990, australian rider Darren Milner who was a reserve was given a place on the grid and his aprillia had broken down and he was touring very slowly right on the inside of the track [at the very fast right left over the brow of the hill] when the leaders came through, everyone went wide except roth who hit him taking alex criville with him in what i can say is an accident i seen once and never want to see again, roth was in a coma for 2 weeks and is currently suffering form hemiplegic, he is paralysed

Always nice livery on Mark's bikes, sponsored by Ian King of Royal Cars.

I always thought Mark was a very stylish rider, equally at home on the roads and short circuits and IMHO was greatly underrated and deserved a shot with one of the British factory teams, I believe he would have done very well.

Always nice livery on Mark's bikes, sponsored by Ian King of Royal Cars.

I always thought Mark was a very stylish rider, equally at home on the roads and short circuits and IMHO was greatly underrated and deserved a shot with one of the British factory teams, I believe he would have done very well.